J.R. Smith Addresses Whether or Not He’s Retired From NBA

After being asked on social media whether or not he was now retired, the veteran shooting guard responded that he is simply waiting for a team to call for his services.

The 34-year-old Smith has played 15 seasons in the NBA for four different teams. He was acquired by the Cavaliers in January 2015 and was part of the team’s four consecutive trips to the NBA Finals. Most notably, he was with it when it captured the franchise’s only league title in 2016.

Last November, the start of a rebuilding campaign by the Cavaliers resulted in Smith questioning the motives of team management. This came in the form of his public criticism of what he perceived as tanking in order to collect a high draft pick, which came to pass when the team finished with a 19-63 record.

It was soon after Smith’s comments that the Cavaliers exiled him as a player who would no longer be with the team. Efforts to trade him away came up short, with the team ultimately cutting ties with him in July.

Despite his current status, no teams have contacted him about signing with them. His bumpy exit from the Cavaliers, coupled with past off-the-court issues and his statistical declines in recent years, could be the reason for that inactivity.

Should Smith find a team that wants to sign him, he’s likely to only be offered a veteran’s minimum salary. At that point, he’ll have to make a decision whether he should continue to play or call it a career.

About Brad Sullivan

Brad Sullivan is a lead writer for Cavaliers Nation. He has spent much of life in the Cleveland, Ohio area, and has remained a Cavalier fan from their 1970 beginnings through the return of LeBron James. While that fandom was sorely tested during the Reign of Error known simply by one word, Stepien, that overall historical perspective will be part of his writing for Cavaliers Nation in the months ahead.